Gas-engine.



PATENTED JUNE 16, 1903.

J. M. SMELSBR. GAS ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. '10, 1902.

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GAS ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 10, 1902.

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PATENTED JUNE 16, 1903.

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GAS ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAE.10,1902.

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PATENTED JUNE 16, 1903.

J. M. SMELSER.

GAS ENGINE.

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No. 731,236. I v

UNITED STATES Patented June 16, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES M. SMELSER, -OF PENDLETON, INDIANA, A SSIGNOR TO THE SMELSER ENGINE COMPANY, OF FRANKTON, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF IN- DIANA.

GAS-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 731,236, dated June 16, 1903.

Application filed March 10, 1902. Serial No. 97,511. (No model.)

a hollow and has a transverse rod 24in it, with To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES M. SMELSER, of

Pendleton, county of Madison, and State of Indiana, have invented a certain new and useful Gas-Engine; and I do herebydeclare; that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which like figures refer to like parts.

The object of this inventionis to improve the construction of gas and gasolene engines.

The full nature of the said invention will be understood from the following description and claims and the drawings accompanying the same.

In the drawings, Figure Us a plan View of tion through the middle of the machine on' the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section on the line 44 of Fig. 3. Fig. i is a vertical cross-section on the line 5 5 of ig. 3. nal section through the rear or inner end of the cylinder and water-jacket. Fig. 7 is a View similar to the left-hand end of Fig. 3 on a largerscale. Fig. 8 is a cross-section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 3.

In detail I show hereinto illustrate the nature of my invention a gas-engine mounted on a suitable foundation 10 by the bolts 11 1{passing through the base 12 of the fuel-chamer 13. tally through said fuel-chamber and has secured to it the two fly-wheels 15. The fuelchamber 13 has on its opposite sides corresponding circular openings to receive the bearings 16 for the shaft 14. Said bearings are lined with phosphor-bronze 66 and have an annular flange 67, through which the bolts 17 extend, for securing the hearings to the fuel-chamber 13. The walls of said fuelchamber have the flanges 19 and 20 extending laterally from the side thereof. The

outer ends of the bearings are externally threaded to receive the rings 21, that surround the shaft 14. The shaft 14, which is a crank-shaft, transmits power through the piston-rod 22 to the piston 23.

The piston is Fig. 6 is a vertical central longitudr The main shaft 14 extends horizon-- which the end of the pistod-rod is connected.

Suitable packing-rings 25 surround the pis- -ton 23 nearv each end to make a tight joint with the cylinder 26. The forward end of the piston-has about its upper edge a forwardly-projecting flange 27 at the fuel-inlet 28 to prevent the fuel from short-circuiting into the exhaust-port 29.

The forward end of the fuel-chamber 13 is cylindrical and has at its outer end an annular flange 30, extending outwardly and at a right angle to the cylindrical portion of the fuel-chamber, and to this flange the cylinder is secured by the bolts 31, extending through the wall forming the inner end of the waterjacket 32, that is integral with the cylinder, as appears in Fig. 3. The inner end of the cylinder extends considerably beyond the water-jacket and practically through the cylindrical portion of the fuel-chamber. Hence a narrow cylindrical chamber surrounds the inner end of the cylinder lying between it and the cylindrical portion of the fuel-chamber and at its forward end connects with the cylinder-chamber by means of the inlet openings or ports 28. The exhaust ports or open in gs 29 are larger than the inlet ports or openings and are on the lower side, while the inletports are on the upper side. The forward or outer end of the cylinder issemispherical i11- stead of angular and has a central hole in it internally threaded to receive the igniterplug 40, which is externally threaded to screw into said hole. The conducting-wire 41 is connected with said igniter-plug 40, and a conductor 42 is secured to the rod 43, which extends centrally through the igniter-plug and is insulated therefrom. On its inner end it has an electrode 44 in close proximity with corresponding electrode 45 in the igniter-plug 40.

By reason of the outer end of the cylinderchamber being semispherical and the igniterplug being in the center thereof the force resulting from the explosion of the gas is directed immediately and centrally away from jacket 32 extends around the outer end of the cylinder to the igniter-plu g, and it extends in the other direction to the inlet and exhaust ports, so that it surrounds all of the cylinder in which there is explosion or force applied against the walls of the cylinder to heat the same. The water enters the water-jacket through the pipe and leaves the same through the pipe 51. The water-chamber is separated at the inner end from the inletports by the partition 52 on each side and from the exhaustchamber by the partition 53, as shown in Fig. 5. A relief-plug 55 closes a duct 56 through the post 57. The fuelchamber is separated from the exhaust-chamber by the partition 68., Fuel enters the fuelchamber through a valve mechanism located in the bottom thereof. There is an opening internally threaded in which the gland 60 is screwed, the opening through said gland being' flared at its upper end to furnish a seat for the conical valve 61. The fuel is sup plied through the pipe 62,that extends through a suitable chamber made in the foundation 10 and is secured to the gland. The valve is elevated by the pressure of the gas and is closed by gravity. An oil-cup 63 is placed on the fuel-chamber over the crank and piston rod. A manhole is provided at the rear end of the fuel-chamber 13, internally threaded, which is closed by the screw-plug 64.

It is observed that in the foregoing engine the piston receives the full force of the charge by reason of the semispherical end of the cylinder and the igniting means being centrally located therein. The water-box not only surrounds the sides, but also the semispherical end to the igniter-plug and extends beyond the inlet and exhaust ports, whereby everypart of the engineliable to become heated from the explosion may be kept cool. The main part of the engine consists of only two members-a cylinder with the water-jacket integral therewith and surrounding its forward portion and a fuel-chamber with a forward cylindrical extension that surrounds the inner portion of the cylinder and is'of larger diameter than the same, whereby the fuel-- chamber is brought close to the inlet-ports. The series of inlet and exhaust ports each extend about half-way around the cylinder, the former above and the latter below and opposite each other, the two thus practically surrounding the cylinder. The exhaust-ports are wider than the inlet-ports and affect complete exhaustion of the consumed gas. The fuel-inlet is at the bottom of the fuel-chamber and is closed by a gravity-valve, whereby the entering vapor from gasolene may enter the fuel-chamber and collect in the bottom thereof. The opening at the rear end of the fuel-chamber is for the purpose of examining the contents thereof and the inlet-valve and for adjusting the connection of the piston-rod with the main shaft.

A great difficulty in'manufacturing engines of this character is in incorrectly mountingthe main shaft. I provide in the two side walls of the fuel-chamber bearing-openings truly in line with each other and thickened by the flange 20 and then make bearing-boxes that extend through said openings, and they therefore have considerable bearing in the openings and have also radial flanges 67, that bear against the sides of the fuel-chamber and receive the strain, so as to relieve the bolts 17 from such strain.

The operation of the device may be briefly described as follows: The fuel is drawn through the pipe 62 and port 60 by the suction due to the movement of the piston in the cylinder into the fuel-chamber surrounding the crank-shaft, and then it passes through the chamber surrounding the inner end 26 0f the cylinder and ports 58 to the combustionchamber of the cylinder, when the piston moves rearward, as shown in Fig. 3. After the gas has filled the combustion-chamber it is ignited by the igniter shown, and thereby actuates the piston, and when the piston has almost reached its inward throw, as shown in Fig. 3, the cylinder is exhausted through the exhaust-ports. As soon as the inward movement of the piston uncovers the inlet-port 58 the compressed gas in the fuel-chamber will again rush into the combustion-chamber and be exploded, and this process is repeatedin the manner familiar to all acquainted with gas-engines.

What is claimed to be the invention, and to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an engine of the class described, the combination with a fuel-chamber having a cylindrical extension provided at its open end with an outwardly-extending annular flange, and a shaft journaled in said fuel-chamber, of a cylinder secured to said flange of the fuel-chamber and having an annular waterjacket, said cylinder being provided with a cylindrical extension of less diameter than the extension of the f uel-chamber and projecting within the extension of the fuel-chamber to a point adjacent to said shaft to form an annular fuel-passage between saidchamber and the cylinder, the latter being also provided at a point adjacent to the inner end of the water-jacket with a series of inlet and exhaust ports, and a piston working within said cylinder and its extension and connected to said shaft.

2. In an engine of the class described, the combination with a fuel-chamber having a cylindrical extension provided at its open end with an outwardly-extending annular flange, and a shaft journaled in said fuel-chamber, of a cylinder secured to said flange of the fuel-chamber and having an annular waterjacket, said cylinder being provided with a cylindrical extension of less diameter than the extension of the fuel-chamber and proj ecting within the extension of the fuel-chamber to a point adjacent to said shaft to form an annular fuel-passage between said chamber and the cylinder, the latter being also IIO provided at a point adjacent to the inner end of the water-jacket with a series of inlet and exhaust ports, a piston working within said cylinder and its extension and connected to said shaft, and a valve arranged at the lowest point in the fuelchamber and closing the fuel-inlet thereof, whereby surplus fuel will accumulate at said inlet and be carried therefrom to the cylinder by the fuel drawn through said inlet.

3. In an engine of the class described, a fuel-chamber having oppositely-disposed side walls, a cylinder connected to said chamber, a piston working within said cylinder, a main shaft connected to said piston, the side walls of the fuel-chamber being provided with openings through which said shaft passes, said walls being also provided with a series of out- JAMES M. SMELSER.

Witnesses:

FLORENCE E. BRYANT, V. H. LOCKWOOD. 

